New York Rangers Say Rescued Hikers Unprepared for Trek

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Credit WAMC

State forest rangers say they had to rescue two men who started a nearly 40-mile hike in the Adirondack High Peaks while improperly clothed for the below freezing conditions and carrying only two bagels and one canteen of water.

Rangers told the Adirondack Daily Enterprise that 22-year-old Stephen Hine of Philadelphia and 26-year-old Kyle Austin of Syracuse set out at 1 a.m. Sunday from Long Lake in Hamilton County, intending to hike a 38-mile trail to Lake Placid. The Enterprise reports that they were not properly attired for winter hiking, and took no map, skis, snowshoes nor compass.

The wife of one of the men called authorities late Sunday night to report they were overdue. Rangers found the men around 12:30 p.m. Monday off the trail on Seymour Mountain during single digit temperatures.

Rangers say both men had low body core temperatures. They were treated at a hospital and released.

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